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Saturday, May 14, 2016

On this Date in Minnesota History: May 14

May 14, 1910 – In a momentous effort to
reveal the strength of the prohibition movement in Minneapolis, tens of
thousands of temperance workers paraded the downtown retail district this
afternoon with the results that practically all business was temporarily suspended,
street car lines were tied up, and citizens turned out en mass for more than
two hours.

An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people participated in the event. The line of the
parade was several miles long. Grand Marshal A. A. Kelley declared that there
were fully 50,000 people in the procession.At 2:15 p.m., the first division started. When the head of this
section reached the end of its journey at the Armory, the rear division had not
yet left the assembly point at 8th Street and 3rd Ave. S.
The distance was about two and one-half miles.

Enormous crowds witnessed the parade. All along the line of march, from the
beginning to the finish, throngs gathered upon the sidewalks and even crowded
onto the streets, only to be shoved back by the police. Nicollet Ave. from
Washington Ave. to 10th Street was so congested that pedestrians
could barely shove their way through.

Businesses and department stores along this way found themselves without
customers during the progress of the parade and were compelled to give their
employees a temporary holiday. With scarcely an exception, every window was
filled with spectators, while in many cases the people had crowded out over the
cornices and on the sills.

It appeared as if the entire population of Minneapolis was out. It was
suggested that had the census man been about, he could have completed his work
in a single afternoon.

Scarcely a more spectacular parade was ever witnessed in the Mill City. The
unique design of floats, the bands and drum majors, the flying pennants,
prancing horses bedecked with ribbons and draped with ensigns that bore inscriptions,
the automobiles, the marshals wrapped in their red and white sashes—all combine
to form a scene that has had few parallels.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Temperance
Parade Includes Thousands. Greatest Anti-Saloon Demonstration Ever Held in
Minneapolis Is Over. Procession Several Miles in Length of Men, Women and
Children. Downtown Streets Thronged With Spectators Who Stand for Hours.”; May
15, 1910; PP. 1 & 6.

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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in
Minnesota, I specialize in researching
genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis.,
including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos,
ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of
intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local
history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS
records. Both short searches and family
history reports.

About Me

In the process of researching my book, "The Memory Quilt," I did some family history research and my interest was piqued. Over the years, I have become very passionate about the process, and want to help others discover their roots. Visit TheMemoryQuilt.com and click on the Family History Research button in the left-hand column for services and prices. Email: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com